Baseball SA Celebrates Success at the 2026 Sport SA Awards

Baseball in South Australia was proudly recognised on the big stage at the 2026 Sport SA Awards, with Baseball SA named as a finalist in two prestigious categories, highlighting both team excellence and individual brilliance.

One of the standout nominations came in the Junior Team Spirit Award, where the South Australian AYWC Girls Team was recognised following an exceptional 2025 campaign. The team delivered a dominant performance at the national level, going undefeated on their way to securing back-to-back gold medals. Their success was built on consistency, resilience, and a strong sense of unity, under the leadership of Head Coach Shane Brown, alongside Assistant Coaches Steve Pfitzer and Julie Wadham, with support from Executive Officer Megan Oliver. Together, they created a high-performance environment that balanced development, strategy, and a strong team culture.

On the individual front, Alice Brown was named the 2025 Junior Athlete of the Year, marking a historic and well-deserved achievement. Alice has continued to break new ground in South Australian baseball, becoming the first female selected in a U16 State Team for the 2026 Australian Youth Championships, while also competing at an elite level in the Open Women’s State Team as an underage player.

Her achievements don’t stop there. Alice secured her second consecutive national gold medal in 2025 and earned major honours including MVP (2024) and the Golden Arm award (2025). During the 2025/26 season, she delivered a remarkable performance at the Capps Medal, claiming Best and Fairest while also taking out multiple individual accolades. Further cementing her legacy, Alice made history again as the first female to represent South Australia in the U16 Australian Youth Championships (male), contributing to a bronze medal finish.

Reflecting on the recognition, James Rawson, CEO of Baseball SA, shared:

“Having both our Youth Girls Team and Alice Brown recognised at the Sport SA Awards is a fantastic achievement for baseball in South Australia.
The team’s nomination for the Junior Team Spirit Award reflects the connection, drive and pride this group has shown in representing our state, while Alice winning Best Junior Athlete is an outstanding individual honour and a credit to her dedication and character.
We are incredibly proud of everyone involved and thank Sport SA for recognising young South Australian athletes, along with the coaches, families, clubs and volunteers who continue to support girls and women in baseball.”

The night was a powerful reminder of the strength and growth of baseball in South Australia, with these achievements reflecting not just individual talent, but the collective effort of a passionate and committed community.